Geographic variation in mixed-conifer forest fire regimes in California

Abstract

This paper reviews recent research from California on geographic variability in mixed conifer(MC) forest fire regimes. MC forests are typically described as having experienced primarilyfrequent, low to moderate severity burns prior to fire suppression that created a mosaic ofvegetation patches with variable structure. Research throughout California generally supportsthis view, but recent research demonstrates that fire regimes and vegetation patterns in theMC zone were more complex and displayed significant spatial and temporal variability atlandscape and regional scales. At the landscape scale, patterns of fire severity and fire returnintervals varied with forest composition and environmental setting (e.g., fire frequencygenerally decreases from south to north facing slopes). There were also apparent regionaldifferences in some fire regime parameters (e.g., season of burn, fire severity) and not inothers (e.g., fire return interval). The degree of geographic variation in MC forest fire regimessuggests that researchers should be cautious when extrapolating relationships between fireregimes and forest structure that are observed in one area to other locations.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the 2002 fire conference: managing fire and fuels in the remaining wildlands and open spaces of the Southwestern United States

Citation

Beaty, R. Matthew ; Taylor, Alan H. 2008. Geographic variation in mixed-conifer forest fire regimes in California. In: Narog, Marcia G., tech. coord. 2008. Proceedings of the 2002 Fire Conference: Managing fire and fuels in the remaining wildlands and open spaces of the Southwestern United States. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-189. Albany, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station. p. p. 123-130